Purple Candles is a tall Chinese astilbe with dense, poker-like plumes that open rich violet-red and brighten as they age. It blooms in midsummer, extending astilbe season after the early types finish.
Reaching about three and a half feet in bloom, it brings height and bold color to the back of a shaded border. Its dark green, coarsely textured leaves form a strong clump. It is moderately drought tolerant for an astilbe but performs far better when never allowed to dry out. Deer and rabbits leave it alone.
What it looks like
Tall, dense, narrow, upright plumes 10 to 12 inches long shaped like candles or pokers, made of tiny rich violet-red to purple flowers that brighten to lighter rosy purple with age. Plumes are held on sturdy stems well above the foliage. Leaves are compound, deeply cut, coarsely textured and dark green with a bronze cast. The plant is about 42 inches tall in bloom and 18 to 24 inches wide. At peak bloom tall purple candles rise above the dark leaves.
Growing it with lavender
Astilbe needs moist, rich soil and shade, the opposite of lavender's dry, sunny bed, so plant it in a shade garden or along a damp woodland edge with hostas and ferns.
Care
Grow in part shade in rich, moist soil; this Chinese type tolerates more sun and short dry spells than other astilbes, but performs far better with steady moisture. Hardy in USDA zones 4-9. Mulch well, water in dry weather, and cut back old plumes in spring.
At a glance
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Botanical name: Astilbe chinensis
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Flower color: Rich violet-red to purple
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Foliage: Dark green
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Growth habit: Tall, upright clump
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Mature size: 42 in tall × 18–24 in wide
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USDA hardiness zones: 4–9
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Light: full sun, part sun to part shade, full shade
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Bloom start: Early-July
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Peak bloom: Mid-July
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Bloom pattern: Single Flush
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Deer resistance: Resistant
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Pollinator value: Good
Sizes and shipping
Dormant bare-root plant, sold in boxes of 25 per variety (order in multiples of 25). Bare-root plants ship or are picked up March 1–May 31 only. They are soil-free, so they may ship to every state in that window. Dormant plants often show little or no top growth on arrival; plant or heel them in promptly.
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